The present invention relates to an opening and closing device according to the preamble of claim 1 for a roof hatch.
Roof hatches are primarily used in buses for ventilation and as emergency exits. The devices for opening and closing them must be easy to use, require as little space as possible, and, of course, be easy to install.
The known devices for opening and closing roof hatches are manually operated mechanical devices or remote-controlled pneumatic devices. Mechanical devices take a great deal of space and increase the total height of the vehicle. The tubes of pneumatic devices are inconvenient to install and therefore considerably increase the installation costs.
GB patent 1 350 844, for example, discloses a mechanical device in which the opening and closing movement of the roof hatch is effected by means of a lever system connected to a bar and by means of a vertical member articulated to the lever system and the hatch. The said vertical member increases the height of the construction in the closed position, and additionally it requires considerable special attachments to enable the vertical member and the roof hatch to move in relation to each other during the lifting and lowering movement of the roof hatch. Each corner of the roof hatch can be moved independently of the other corners, but only to the open position or the closed position, and not to any intermediate position.